Fruit picker or gatherer.



G J. FALLKIN FRUIT PIC-KER 0R GATHERER; V APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 19 14. 1,1 05, 1 9, v Patented July 28, 1914 2 SHEBTBSHBE'I 1.

' a wgmifizzzk mm by I Attorneys G. J. PALLKIN.

FRUIT PIQKBR 0B GATHBRBR APFLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1914.

1,105,1 89. Patented July 28,1914,

' 2 SH TS-SHEET 2.

2s. 14' Z7 f i (9 Hi Z42 Z 24 4 In, 20 l w .v 7125/ 1 z Witnesses Attorneys through which is engaged a rivet or: other member 14 secured to the lower end portion of the ann'ulus or cutter 5, and whereby the oscillation of the lever 10 will impartan oscillatory movementof the annulus 5.

The loweror long arm of the lever 10 has its lower or free end deflected inwardly,

as seen in Fig. l, and slidahly engaging,

within a slotted guide 16 secured transversely upon the upper end of the upperpole section 1. The guide 16 is secured in-:

- termediate its ends to the end of the upper arm 15 of the lever 10 is freely movable. 15

. actuating cord or cable '19 is'attached at.

pole section 1, and the free end of the lower between the ends of the guide. 16, for enabling the'annulus or cutter 5 to be oscillated properly.

A pulley ll 1s pivoted within one end portion of the guide 16, the free end of the arm 15 of the actuating lever 10 being nor mally disposed at the other end of the guide 16, to hold the slots 6 of the shell 4' and annulus 5 in register. A pulley 18 is carried bythe upper end portion of the upper pole section '1' adjacent the vguide 16 and at that side adjacent the pulley 17 and an one end to the lower or free end of the actuating lever 15 and ,is' trained over the pulleysl7 and 18 so as to extend along the pole.

The actuating cord or flexible element 19 is divided into sections 20, one for each pole innormal or initial position, with the slots 6 thereof registering with the slots 6 of the shell 4, the bell crank or L-shaped lever 25 has its elbow fulcrumed, by means of a rivet or other pivot member 26, to the shell eibelowthe annulus 5. One arm of the lever 25' 50 is provided witha longitudinal slot 27 through which is passed a rivet or other member .28 which engages the shell 4, while an extensible tubular member 29 is pivoted to the .free end ofthe other arm of the lever'25, The extensible member 29 comprises telescoping sections or tubes 30, the upper end of which is connected to the lever 25, as stated, and a slide 31 movable upon one arm of the fork 3. The slide 31 carries .a set screw 32 for clamping it at any adjusted position. A coil wire con tractile spring 33 is housed within the ex- I I tensible member 29 and has its.ends secured to the lower arm ofthe lever 25 and the fruit.

been. assembled, the adjacent ends of the such a direction, when the actuating lever 10 is free, to move the annulus 5 to initial or'normal position. v

The arm 3 of the fork 3 upon which the slide 31 is mounted, is preferably composed of two parts or sections which are provided with a slot 35 between their free end portions through which the lower arm of the depending lever 25 is guided.

Thefruit conducting chute or tube 36 which is preferably of textile or fabric ma by suitable attaching means 39, so as to support the chute sections to the pole sections. if The upper end of the upper chute s'ectiongf 37 connected in any suitable unanner t6 the lower or inner end of the shell 4: be-

tween the arms of the fork 3, the chute 36 passing outwardly from between the'arms the upper pole section 1, at that'oside 'of the fork 3 opposite-the guide 16, and which is so arranged, as to prevent the fruit, which passes through. the chute 36, from inju-. riously contacting with the upper end of the pole, as would be liable to bruise-the Should thefruit strike the pad or cushion 40, there will be no liability for the '4 fruit to become bruised, the pad or cush- 10"}? ion 40 readily deflecting the fruit away fromthe end of the pole. I

In use, any suitable number of the pole sections 1 may be connected together throughthe medium of the slip joints :2, 'to

build up a pole of desired length, accord chute sections 37 are assembled with they pole sections 1, after the pole sections have cord sections 20 may be readily attached through the medium of the hooks 22 and eyes 23, and the adjacent or meeting edges of the chute sections 37 may be connected by means of the clasps 38. Thus, the cord and chute, as well as the pole will be practically continuous when assembled and con nected. The operator may then readily manipulate the pole to pass the shell/t overthe fruit to be plucked and by turning the pole .1125? about its axis, the stem of the fruit may :bej

worked into a pair of the registering slots? in which event the cord 19 may be drawn to -g ward the lower end of the pole, or the ops,

slide 31;; tonormally swing the lever 25 I erator, whichwill result in the arm.15 3o 1'10 ing to the height of picking necessary. In asmuch as the cord sections 20 and the the lever 10 being swung, to, the left, as seen ilLFig. 3. The movement of the actuating lever 10 will impart an oscillatory movement to the annulus or cutter 5, which will cause the edges of the slots 6 of the shell 4 and annulus or cutter 5 to shear past each other to accomplish the severing ofthe fruit stem. The fruit being severed, will drop or gravitate down the chute or condoctor 36, and may be caught by the hand, or arrested in any other suitable manner and deposited in a basket or other're ceptacle. As soon as the actuating cord 19 is released, the annulus or cutter 5 will return toits normal or initial position, under the influence of the returning spring 33 which in swinging the lever 35 will turn the annulus or cutter 5 backward, and thereby also return the actuating lever 10 to its normal positiomas seen in Fig. 3. The harvesting evice is then in condition for repeated use, and may be employed for conveniently and quickly gathering or harvesting the fruit,

wit'hout the necessity of the operator cmploying a ladder, or climbing the tree, as would involve considerable labor and time, and as is dangerous to life and limb.

The tension of the spring 33 may be adjusted, by loosening the set or clamping screw 32, and moving the slide 31 along the arm 34 of the fork 8, either upwardly or downwardly, to decrease or increase the tensionof the spring, whichever is desired.

Due to'-the provision of the actuating lever 10, as defined, and the actuating cord trained over the pulleys and througlrthe guides carried by the pole, theannulu's or cutter 5 may be actuated in a simple and efficient manner,- to readily shear or sever the toughest fruit stems.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the drawings, the advantages and capabilities of thelpresent device will be obviousto those versed in the art, without further comment being necessary.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a fruit picker, a pole, a shell car ried by the upper end thereof, an annulus mounted for oscillatory movements upon he shell, the shell and annulus having cooperating open ended slots, a transverse guide, an actuatin lever having one arm operativelyconnected to the annulus and having its other arm received by said guide, a pulley carried by one end portion of the guide, an actuating cord connected to the second mentioned arm of the lever and trained'over the said pulley and means for returning the annulus to normal position.

2. In a fruit picker, a pole, a fork attached to'the upper endthereof, a'shell se;

cured between the arms of the fork, an annulus mounted for limited oscillatory-movements upon the shell, the shell and annulus having cooperating open ended slots, atransverse guide secured to the upper end of the pole, an actuating leve; fulcrumed to the shell, the actuating lever having an up per arm operatively connected to the annulus and having a lower arm received by the said guide, a pulley carried by one end portion of the guide, and an actuating cord connected to the second mentioned arm of the lever and trained over the said pulley.

3. In afruit picker, a pole, a fork attached to the upper end thereof, a shell secured between the arms of the fork, an annulus mounted for limited oscillatory movements upon the shell, the shell and annulus having cooperating open ended slots, actuating means carried by the pole and operatively connected to the annulus, a'bell crank lever having its elbow fulcrumed to the shell and having one arm operatively connected to the annulus, a slide adjustable upon one arm of the fork, and a retractile spring connecting the slide and the other arm of the said lever.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signa ture in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE J. FALLKIN.

Witnesses:

JOHN L. EYNE, f JOHN B. Norms. 

